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| Greek election is euro versus drachma, Samaras says | Greek election is euro versus drachma, Samaras says |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Sunday's Greek election is a choice between staying in the euro and going back to the drachma, the leader of the centre-right New Democracy party has told a final campaign rally in Athens. | Sunday's Greek election is a choice between staying in the euro and going back to the drachma, the leader of the centre-right New Democracy party has told a final campaign rally in Athens. |
| The general election, the second in six weeks, is seen as crucial to Greece's future in the eurozone. | The general election, the second in six weeks, is seen as crucial to Greece's future in the eurozone. |
| New Democracy broadly accepts the EU/IMF bailout of debt-laden Greece but wants changes to the terms. | New Democracy broadly accepts the EU/IMF bailout of debt-laden Greece but wants changes to the terms. |
| Main opponents Syriza reject the terms of the bailout but back the euro. | Main opponents Syriza reject the terms of the bailout but back the euro. |
| Syriza surged into second place on 6 May, in an election that produced an inconclusive result, with no party or coalition able to form a government. | Syriza surged into second place on 6 May, in an election that produced an inconclusive result, with no party or coalition able to form a government. |
| Unofficial opinion polls suggest a fall in support for anti-bailout parties. | Unofficial opinion polls suggest a fall in support for anti-bailout parties. |
| Under Greek election law, official opinion polls are banned in the two weeks before the election. | Under Greek election law, official opinion polls are banned in the two weeks before the election. |
| Tough austerity measures were attached to the two international bailouts awarded to Greece, an initial package worth 110bn euros (£89bn; $138bn) in 2010, then a follow-up last year worth 130bn euros. | Tough austerity measures were attached to the two international bailouts awarded to Greece, an initial package worth 110bn euros (£89bn; $138bn) in 2010, then a follow-up last year worth 130bn euros. |
| The two main parties in the previous government, New Democracy and the centre-left Pasok, agreed to the terms for the second bailout, incurring the anger of many Greek voters. | |
| New Democracy's support slipped from 33.5% in 2009 to less than 19% of the vote while Pasok's share plummeted from 43% to just over 13%. | |
| While five of the seven main political groups reject the last bailout, only one - the Communists - wants the country to abandon the euro. | While five of the seven main political groups reject the last bailout, only one - the Communists - wants the country to abandon the euro. |
| Germany, which has the eurozone's most powerful economy, insists Greece, like other member-states which have received international bailouts, must abide by the austerity conditions. | Germany, which has the eurozone's most powerful economy, insists Greece, like other member-states which have received international bailouts, must abide by the austerity conditions. |
| German Bundesbank (central bank) chief Jens Weidmann repeated the warning on Friday, adding that the eurozone could not allow any country to "blackmail" it with the threat of financial contagion. | German Bundesbank (central bank) chief Jens Weidmann repeated the warning on Friday, adding that the eurozone could not allow any country to "blackmail" it with the threat of financial contagion. |
| Spanish example | Spanish example |
| Mr Samaras told his supporters on Friday that Greece would exit its financial crisis but not the euro. | Mr Samaras told his supporters on Friday that Greece would exit its financial crisis but not the euro. |
| "The first choice the Greek people must make is: euro versus drachma," he told the rally in front of parliament in Syntagma Square. | "The first choice the Greek people must make is: euro versus drachma," he told the rally in front of parliament in Syntagma Square. |
| "We will exit the crisis; we will not exit the euro. We will not let anyone take us out of Europe," he said. | |
| Mr Samaras has accused other parties of "playing poker" with Greece. | Mr Samaras has accused other parties of "playing poker" with Greece. |
| At Syriza's final rally on Thursday, leader Alexis Tsipras renewed his pledge to tear up the bailout conditions, which involve drastic spending cuts, tax rises, and labour market and pension reforms. | At Syriza's final rally on Thursday, leader Alexis Tsipras renewed his pledge to tear up the bailout conditions, which involve drastic spending cuts, tax rises, and labour market and pension reforms. |
| "The memorandum of bankruptcy will belong to the past on Monday," he told supporters in Omonoia Square. | "The memorandum of bankruptcy will belong to the past on Monday," he told supporters in Omonoia Square. |
| "Brussels expect us, we are coming on Monday to negotiate over people's rights, to cancel the bailout." | "Brussels expect us, we are coming on Monday to negotiate over people's rights, to cancel the bailout." |
| Pointing to the huge bank loan package deal between the EU and Spain on Sunday, he argued that a bailout was possible without the kind of drastic cuts demanded of Greece. | Pointing to the huge bank loan package deal between the EU and Spain on Sunday, he argued that a bailout was possible without the kind of drastic cuts demanded of Greece. |
| "Spain negotiated and succeeded in taking financial support without a fiscal consolidation package, despite the lenders' threats and blackmail," Mr Tsipras said. | "Spain negotiated and succeeded in taking financial support without a fiscal consolidation package, despite the lenders' threats and blackmail," Mr Tsipras said. |
| Interviewed by Spanish daily El Pais, Jens Weidmann called for the eurozone to impose broad conditions on Spain over its loan package, worth up to 100bn euros. | Interviewed by Spanish daily El Pais, Jens Weidmann called for the eurozone to impose broad conditions on Spain over its loan package, worth up to 100bn euros. |
| He warned that Greece, but also the Irish Republic and Portugal, had been given the impression that this was a "rescue with no conditionality outside the financial system" and this was "already eroding the commitment to the terms of the existing programmes". | He warned that Greece, but also the Irish Republic and Portugal, had been given the impression that this was a "rescue with no conditionality outside the financial system" and this was "already eroding the commitment to the terms of the existing programmes". |
| "But foot-dragging on addressing the structural problems will perpetuate the crisis, and the market reaction reflects this concern," Germany's top banker said. | "But foot-dragging on addressing the structural problems will perpetuate the crisis, and the market reaction reflects this concern," Germany's top banker said. |
| Are you in Greece? Will you be voting in the election? If you are willing to be interviewed on the BBC please fill in the form below. | Are you in Greece? Will you be voting in the election? If you are willing to be interviewed on the BBC please fill in the form below. |
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